Took some pics last weekend of the Hagley Road Mansion houses which look set for demolition. Calthorpe Estates are I believe are the land owners and have neglected these glorious buildings to the point where restoration is unviable. I can't see how this has been allowed to happen and unfortunately they seem to be replacing them with crap they can get a higher return on.

For anyone unfamiliar with the area these are all next to each other and all within a couple of hundred metres along the Hagley Road. I guess their location is one of the problems as they are just a little too far out of town. A real shame.

Great advert for Edgbaston
http://tinypic.com/98v89i.jpg

Same building again
http://tinypic.com/98v82f.jpg

This looks like this will go the same way
http://tinypic.com/98vamb.jpg

http://tinypic.com/98vb40.jpg

I think it's criminal to lose these two but both are to be replaced with office space :cry:
http://tinypic.com/98vb7d.jpg

Another problem with these buildings is that they take up alot of space. They've got massive gardens front and back but don't offer a great number of flats. This beautiful building - which I hope will be staying - only has six flats and mates of mine live here :)
http://tinypic.com/98vevt.jpg

I was going to get some pics as this one was being demolished next door but I never got round to it. Now just a big empty plot.
http://tinypic.com/98vg90.jpg

http://tinypic.com/98vhci.jpg
Not the nicest but certainly has potential.
http://tinypic.com/98vhhy.jpg

http://tinypic.com/98vhup.jpg

http://tinypic.com/98vji1.jpg

Another mansion house bites the dust
http://tinypic.com/98vjt3.jpg

I was quite alarmed at the number of recently cleared plots
http://tinypic.com/98vr5y.jpg

Sadly apartments like these seem to be taking their place
http://tinypic.com/98v7es.jpg

http://tinypic.com/98v7tg.jpg

I know all of the properties above. Just one point, I don't think these fall within the Calthorpe Estate area. Shame though.

I'm not 100% either but I'm pretty sure BK manage the restored property for Calthorpe which they consider the bottom of their portfolio. I found these old articles too so I think they must be on the edge of the Calthorpe Estate, which is probably another reason why they're not intrested in spending any money on them.
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/eveningmail/news/tm_objectid=14491219%26method=full%26siteid=50002-name_page.html
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/post/news/tm_objectid=15040399%26method=full%26siteid=50002-name_page.html

Its such a shame, and it is Calthorpes thats own the buildings, It would be accpetable if they replaced them with something interesting. But the replacments are so bland.

The street had great character in that area too !

this is a disgrace something needs to be done

Really is a shame to see those places on Hagley Road run down as they are and for so long too, and as others have said the replacments are likely to be inferior :(

You beat me to it Foxtrot, i was going to post pics on the same subject oh well.I've been in Bearwood for 8 years now and seeing the slow decline of the beautiful old buildings has been such a shame to witness.If as lickely they will be replaced by flats and apartments, one can only hope that the buildings will have some archetechtrial merit.Anyway if new people move into the area lets hope they spend their money in the area which might attract new shops,restaurants,etc into the Hagley Road/ Bearwood area.

I've not been up the Hagley Road for quite a time and it's genuinley shocked me to see these beautiful, historic residencies in such disrepair. It's also criminal with what they seem to be replacing them with, thanks for highlighting it Foxtrot.

If as lickely they will be replaced by flats and apartments, one can only hope that the buildings will have some archetechtrial merit.Anyway if new people move into the area lets hope they spend their money in the area which might attract new shops,restaurants,etc into the Hagley Road/ Bearwood area.
Good to see more of the bearwood massive :)

I'm certain the replacement will be apartments and office space. I've got a feeling these buildings are listed as Calthorpe Gate on the June 2005 developement schedule http://www.locatebirmingham.com/file/204. New office schemes on the Calthorpe Estate do seem to be of a fairly high standard though, so fingers crossed

^^^^^

Bloody hell you were quick off the mark :)

Brum city council don't even have a website forum to moan about it, I sometimes feel like starting up an action group of West Midlands residents to try and tackle these sorts of crimes.

I heard this weekend that these were going to become Sapcote's new offices. And the empty plot and burnt out property on the opposite side of the road looks like it will be restored and turned into retirement homes. Looked alright
http://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk/downloads/Civitas_April_06.pdf

http://i13.tinypic.com/30iyxjr.jpg

^^They are f*****g gorgeous! I rarely go down the Hagley Road so that area is like Newtown to me. I can't believe Calthorpe Estates even contemplated demolishing this.

Sapcote are good at restoration - they are doing something around Summer Lane/Newtown Row

They're currently restoring this one which is a few doors down.

http://i14.tinypic.com/3y2hahc.jpg

I went the local Neighbourhood forum meeting to see what the developer and architect wanted to do and I was ready to give it both barrels but I was quite impressed. It's a trad development but it's in keeping with the surroundings and the developer (who sounded local) wants to do it well and was consulting with the locals before subitting it for planning. The plan is to restore this one (I think) and build 2 additional buildings of similar scale, materials and proportions as this next door. You heard it here first ;)

http://i3.tinypic.com/4c2r7ef.jpg

It really is quite shocking and incredibly sad that these beautiful buildings have been left to rot, uncared for, and probably with absolutely no future.

It is no coincidence there have been so many "unexplained" fires up and down the Hagley Road these last few years, with empty houses such as these going up in flames and with no other choice but to demolish! How very convenient!

And as usual the replacement apartments are boring to look, lack total imagination and an absolute blot on the landscape.

Good to see some progress here. Glad to see they are saving what they can but regardless i will accept the odd one being demolished if they actually do build cause there are too many empty plots on the hagley rd where there has been demolition but no redevelopment

I'm very pleased to hear at least some of these buildings are being saved.
Every time I travel down the Hagley Road (usually on the No9 bus, from which you get a very good view of the buildings) I stare in utter disbelief at the senseless waste of so many charming buildings. It's hard to work out how buildings with such character in an up-market area with 5* accessibility (to city and out to the motorway) could fall into such disrepair. Then I remember it's usually cheaper to build a new, modern building than restore and maintain an old one.
Hopefully, once a few houses are restored it may encourage other developers to restore others and bring the glory of this area back from the dead.

the ptroblem is calthorpe oen the land and there are mnay fantastastic prpertirs on the adhjactent side roads :( :) :( :) :( :)

:lol: been at the loopy juice Foxy?